Safarova fires Czechs into Fed Cup lead

Moscow, Nov 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Lucie Safarova defeated Serbia's Ana Ivanovic to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead in the final of the Fed Cup.

Safarova's 6-4, 6-3 victory over the former world No.1 in the opening rubber of the best-of-five match Saturday, puts the Czechs a step closer to retaining their title on Prague's indoor hard courts.

Kvitova faces Ivanovic and Safarova plays Jankovic, before a potentially climactic doubles clash pits the Czech pair Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova against the Serbian duo of Bojana Jovanovski and Aleksandra Krunic late Sunday.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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